What are you really eating? I thought I knew what I was really eating, most of the time. But I really didn’t. That was until I watched “The Flavorists,” a segment on 60 Minutes about how food scientists specialize in tweaking tastes in our foods. The video also explains what “natural flavor” really is. After watching the segment I was disturbed, to say the least.
As a follow up to watching the video, I scoured our cupboards to find some “natural flavor” foods. We typically eat pretty clean around here and outside of bread, cereal and the occasional crackers. I try to cook most everything. But I did find one culprit. This is the ingredient list for a package of chicken bouillon cubes.
What Are You Really Eating?
Let’s go back to that natural flavor as you will hear about in the video. As this 60 Minutes report indicates: “Natural flavors come from nature, but not necessarily from what the label implies. For example, strawberry and vanilla flavor can come from the gland in a beaver’s backside.”
That is not a typo.
My jaw about dropped when I heard that. I can’t be the only person who thought natural strawberry flavor meant it came from strawberries. Further, the “flavorists” admit to creating tastes so good they take on an addictive nature. The goal is to get the consumer hooked on these man-made flavors so they will buy – and buy again.
Related blog posts:
• Table Salt vs. Sea Salt: What’s the Difference?
• Sugar is Addicting: How Can You Stop the Addiction?
• A Seven-Day Shakeology Challenge
• Why I Stopped Taking My Multivitamin
As much as I try to avoid processed foods I still eat them from time to time. And when I go out to eat I don’t know for certain what is in all of the food I order. More and more reports like this disturb me. More disturbing, however, is how many Americans probably do not realize this is going on.
If the video window doesn’t work, you can find the “Flavorists” video here as well. Now we know what we are really eating.
*This post was originally published in 2012 and has been updated and republished for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
Faith @ For the Health of It says
February 10, 2012 at 11:02 AMOh God that’s so gross. I always thought it was the same as seasoning – like onion powder = dried, crushed onions, so natural flavoring was a dried, crushed version of whatever flavor they were trying to enhance. I’m disturbed but intrigued by the rest of the video too. I want to know, but at the same time, I dont!
Amanda @ There Are Two Sides says
February 10, 2012 at 1:08 PMI hate hearing about all of this stuff…how gross….
Holly says
February 10, 2012 at 1:15 PMI agree but I guess I’d rather know and be more informed about what foods I buy, than not.
Maybe I should have titled the post “Lose Your Lunch Friday”
Amanda - RunToTheFinish says
February 10, 2012 at 2:49 PMtruly what they can put on labels is amazing… natural, whole grain, etc when they really just aren’t!
Renee says
February 12, 2012 at 11:50 AMWow! This was certainly eye opening, although I knew that a lot of artificial additives were in many commonly used foods/drinks we consume on a regular basis. It is so upsetting to see how nonchalant this flavor company (specifically the CEO) is about the fact that they ARE contributing to the American obesity epidemic. But my question is, if this global company is supplying their product worldwide, why is it that other countries do not have an obesity epicemic as well? It is the American mindset, lazyness and instant gratification and “entitlement” … I am certainly guilty and am not pointing fingers or living a Holier than thou lifestyle…but it is my perception. I wish I could just move to the countryside of some little French village or Mediterranean seaside where you only have to bike down to the local bakery or butcher shop, your neighbor has chickens and gives you fresh eggs… ahh, but what a lifestyle. Here in America, few places exist like that today, we are all so spread out and have to commute to work and live in a suburban village to make things easy. Well, this article does renew in me a little voice inside that tells me to really try harder to buy items that are fresh and make things from scratch with healthier options. I am a stay at home mom who does do a lot of homemade stuff anyway, but it’s tough when even our au natural milk has been hormonally tampered with and it’s very expensive to buy “natural” or “organic” products. Well, I’ll step off my soap box now, and I really appreciate you posting this article! Thanks!